I don't know if it's my midwest upbringing or what, but I have a reflexive aversion to anyone trying to sell me anything. I can smell a sales pitch a mile away, and I immediately tune out and want nothing to do with it. If I want to buy something, I do my research, seek out someone who knows what s/he's talking about and buy it.

But, of course, these high-pressure sales tactics continue to exist because they work on some people. I know people who actually want to be sold something. I can't relate at all. I guess maybe they like having someone kiss their a**es for a while, but to me, it's a terrible waste of my time.